Plantation Point Gets 3 Leases

[Tayfromcarolina]

Finally after years of Question marks the answer is clear. One of the hottest spots in the triangle is about to get hotter. Developers out of Dallas, TX. Intend to open a BJ's Wholesale Club, a Circuit City, and A On the Border Resturant and Cantina, on the land which used be the plantation inn hotel.

Read the Article here. >>>News and Observer 7/13/05

This brings the # Triangle BJ's to 4

Circuit City's to 4

And On the Borders to 3

[orulz]

Whee, bye-bye plantation inn, hello vast parking lots and more big boxes!

I can hardly contain my ... excitement.

[Tayfromcarolina]

U must admit that dilapidated Plantation inn with those overgrown weeds and trees was and eyesore especially next to the niceness that is Triangle Towne Center Mall.

[orulz]

To be perfectly honest, the dozens of fifty-acre parking lots on north Capital Blvd are far worse as far as eyesores go. At least to me.

I have yet to ever feel excited about a new big box or strip mall project. Ever. Why? Because They're basically off limits to me, because I don't have a car. Sure, perhaps I'm in the vast minority, and perhaps not having a car makes me a "fringe" member of society that these places would rather keep away anyway, but even understanding that, I'm still a bit insulted by the fact that damn near 100% of ANYTHING built in the triangle completely snubs car-less folks like me.

I should add a qualifier here: I haven't seen the plans for this project and I must admit that it might somehow be different. But I'm not exactly holding my breath.

Maybe I should just stop caring. Or maybe I should just move somewhere else. All in all, going carless in the Triangle amounts to a pretty huge amount of stress.

[NCMike1981]

Yay a huge shopping center even farther out on Capital! Hooray for the continued evolution of sprawl! Hopefully none of the stores located in this new development will move from shopping centers further down Capital, but if history repeats itself some will. I'm assuming that there will be a shopping center portion, and not just 3 big boxes out there...

[StevenRocks]

That site's proximity to TTC and the Outerbelt meant it was going to get developed eventually. Maybe they can include some sort of transit plaza for people like orluz and myself who do not drive.

[orulz]

Yeah, a nice bus stop with lighting and a shelter with an honest to goodness pedestrian connection to the stores would be nice. I expect that, for now, they will "make do" with the stop at Triangle Towne Center.

Take note that this development is about 1/3 mile away from the "northeast regional center" stop in Phase II of the TTA regional rail line. I'll certainly admit that it would not be prudent for a developer to build something in anticipation of the second phase phase of a rapid transit line for which even the first phase has been called into doubt. But there still is a very real possibility that the TTA rail line will happen, and that means that 8 or 10 years from now there will be a significant transit hub within walking distance of this shopping center.

I guess that what I'm saying is, if the developer decides to cash in all his chips right now and goes for full buildout of a big box/strip mall complex that's completely auto-dependent, he may be missing out on an even bigger profit several years down the road. Putting aside my idealistic opinions about public benefit and reduced auto-dependence, there is a very real financial reason for the developer to do something different and better here, even if it doesn't happen right now.

But, of course, I'm not holding my breath.

[f0xym0p]

Yeah, you should move if you don't want to buy a car. Raleigh clearly doesn't care about you if you don't have a car, and that's unfortunate. Well, maybe I shouldn't say Raleigh, but the developers certainly don't care.

[Tayfromcarolina]

Yeah, it's a southern thing. We simply arent used to mass transit, it's going to take a while to get things off the ground as far as becoming a less automobile reliant area.

[StevenRocks]

Yeah, a nice bus stop with lighting and a shelter with an honest to goodness pedestrian connection to the stores would be nice. I expect that, for now, they will "make do" with the stop at Triangle Towne Center.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They'll have a bus stop if they're smart, but I wouldn't expect anything grand. The one at Triangle Town Center would be too far away to make it relevant for Plantation Point.

[AmericanUrbanDesigner]

I have yet to ever feel excited about a new big box or strip mall project. Ever. Why? Because They're basically off limits to me, because I don't have a car. Sure, perhaps I'm in the vast minority, and perhaps not having a car makes me a "fringe" member of society that these places would rather keep away anyway, but even understanding that, I'm still a bit insulted by the fact that damn near 100% of ANYTHING built in the triangle completely snubs car-less folks like me.

I should add a qualifier here: I haven't seen the plans for this project and I must admit that it might somehow be different. But I'm not exactly holding my breath.

Maybe I should just stop caring. Or maybe I should just move somewhere else. All in all, going carless in the Triangle amounts to a pretty huge amount of stress.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Orulz, we need to talk. Hillsborough Street, Governor Morehead School for the Blind, Eastrans, Triangle Town Center... you should see (all) the original visions. You would want to stay in Raleigh the decision-makers in Raleigh would have consider the power of "visions" of what might be.

When I worked for the COR I created a "vision" for the TTC area (called the "Northeast Regional Plan") that included extensive ped/bike and even, gasp, vehicular, links to a rapid rail station behind what will once be the Plantation Inn. It also provided for the evolution of TTC into an urban center by retaining the core and filling-in the open spaces with buildings including - most significantly - a massive residential component. The proposal also outlined the way for the COR to adapt its zoning and regulations to "encourage" this densification. The plan included provisions to allow for rapid rail to run down the center of I-540 to RTP, sharing a station with TTA at the same location behind what will once be the Plantation Inn. The plan utilized the existing riparian corridors to create ped corridors and would have acted as recreational amentities. The corridors would have also help to "soften" the proposed urban density.

Alas, the plan has been ignored.

Raleigh is a city, more than most, plagued by back-stabbing, politics, short-sightedness, etc... That it is successful is a testament to the inherent qualities of North Carolina and the strength of state government. Burned or discounted too many times, I left the Triangle.

[DigitalSky]

what's the latest on this project?

[orulz]

It's just another strip mall, so personally, I couldn't care less =)

[paletexan]

That plantation inn place looked haunted to me. I think those ghosts are going to be even more upset with the wholesale club. So be warned ahead of time if you go, a 2000 oz bottle of ketchup may be "pushed" off a top shelf towards you.

Regarding big box development, and the righteous car-free society in the triangle (aka orulz and StevenRocks), how does one expect to patronize places such as whole sale clubs, or sporting goods stores where you cannot always walk away with merchandise because it's too heavy or awkward to transport without a car? So, in my opinion, it would seem useless to make a pedestrian friendly connection to big box retailers such as BJs, or Dick's. Those parts of town are just a lost cause for urbanites IMO.

[Tayfromcarolina]

They have begun clearing land and tearing down that wreck of a inn for this project. I suspect that through the winter and into the spring the foundations will be laid.

[orulz]

how does one expect to patronize places such as whole sale clubs, or sporting goods stores where you cannot always walk away with merchandise because it's too heavy or awkward to transport without a car? So, in my opinion, it would seem useless to make a pedestrian friendly connection to big box retailers such as BJs, or Dick's. Those parts of town are just a lost cause for urbanites IMO.

That's why I said I don't care about another strip mall way out at Capital and I-540.

But really, it's simple. If I have a friend who happens to be going to one of these places, then I hitch a ride, but for the most part I don't buy things that I can't carry home. I live a 5 minute walk from a grocery store. You can buy basically everything you need for every-day life there. I go three or so times a week so I can catch a lot of stuff when it's on special, and never end up with more than I can carry. The money I save by not owning a car more than makes up for the extra money I pay for not buying in hyper-bulk at Sam's. Why would I, a single guy with a one-bedroom apartment, need to buy pickles by the gallon or toilet paper two gross rolls at a time anyway?

When I buy big stuff (which happens once a year or less) I have it delivered if the option is available or rent a U-haul if it's not. The U-haul costs me $35. Once again, it's an additional expense - but that sort of stuff happens infrequently so I more than make up for it by not having a car.

[Jones_]

I find the varoius things people get excited about in this forum interesting and sometimes perplexing. To me, adding a BJ's and a Circuit City is something to be ashamed of....and to boot, I acutally hate to see the old Inn go...fyi, it was mentioned in a book called Confederates in the Attic....the author, in his search for people accross the south who held fast to civil war era beliefs, stayed a night at the old Plantation Inn....

And of course, major props to Orulz and anyone else who can manage without a car in this world. This city is built without adhering to some pretty good plans...the council and planning commission seem to be afraid that if they don't approve the half-done plans then development will never occur